NEWS ARCHIVE

More police outside Thunder Alley for Game 3

Oklahoma City trails San Antonio 2-0

When the game begins, Thunder Alley ends. Those are the new rules outside Oklahoma City NBA games, the team announced on Wednesday.

More police outside Thunder Alley for Game 3

Oklahoma City trails San Antonio 2-0

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Updated: 8:01 PM CDT May 31, 2012

OKLAHOMA CITY —

Thunder Alley is packed before Game 3 between Oklahoma City and San Antonio, but authorities said security has been heightened nearly two weeks after eight people were shot in Bricktown following an Oklahoma City playoff win.

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Of course, once Game 3 of the NBA's Western Conference Finals begins, Thunder Alley will close, a decision that prompted a lot of discussion and consternation among Thunder fans.

"It's a shame they're not going to show the game outside," said Thunder fan Loren Currien.

"It's a shame it was put to a halt, but there's nothing you can do," said Ashley Fuller. "I know they have good intentions of closing it down, but (the shooting) was downtown. It had nothing to do with Thunder Alley."

Regardless, fans at Thunder Alley will see a larger police presence on Thursday night. There will be 20 more police officers, including some sheriff's deputies, bringing the entire force outside the game to 140 officers.

Police said there will also be more eyes in the sky with three watch towers and more lighting. Officers hope shutting down Thunder Alley early will help patrol the crowds.

"It got to the point that, really, with Thunder Alley, you couldn't get to it. If you saw a problem, it was so dense that you couldn't get to it," said Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty.

Citty said officers will enforce the 11 p.m. curfew for people under age. He added that officers want everybody to have a good time and for the Thunder to win.

San Antonio leads the Oklahoma City Thunder 2-0 in the NBA's Western Conference Finals.